The Music Crumudgeon's preview for the Week of June 11th 2024 - Special John Lomax "Our Scene Sucks" Edition

THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT IS ON
THE YOUNG MAMMALS AND THE PAPERMOONS

Friday, July 11
Papermoons (record release & tour kickoff) / Phillip Foshee / B. / The Sour Notes
@ The Backroom (The Mink)

Here is a show I wish I could attend but such is fate. The 'Moons are relocating and this will be their last Houston show in the foreseeable future. That's disappointing because they only just got started. The 'Moons have become one of Houston's best bands and if you haven't heard their newest album I highly suggest you do so. The album is a perfect mix of nuanced instrumentation, gorgeous vocal harmonies, and songs whose melodies will follow your every footstep. Right now, you can preview two songs on their Myspace - Follow the Sun and Front Porch. Do me a favor and just take a listen. The songs don't rush in painting their canvases but patiently build with a palate of chiming guitars and restrained drumming. Then, when the harmonies kick in, the production just envelops you with that same feeling you get in the winter night when it's cold outside, you come into a warm house with a fire, and sit on the sofa with a blanket with the one you love. The songs are at once open with hope yet hesitant of stepping forward in a world that moves a little slower. That's a lovely tension that is pretty hard to pull-off but the 'Moons are a band with the skill, talent, a heart do it and do so in spades.

Saturday July 12
Creature Comforts Art Opening Featuring Young Mammals, News On the March, Wicked Poseur, Hard Place @ Artstorm / Caroline Collective (7:00PM)

Sunday July 13 Young Mammals, Wicked Poseur, Hard Place @ The Mink

The Young Mammals are and have been kings of the Indie Pop mountain for a few years now. Their energetic shows and catchy songs have been the summer soundtrack to many a young Houstonian and leading the charge has been drummer Iram Guerrero. I tell you this, your band is defined by your drummer. That person who sits behind the kit may be overlooked by many but any musician will tell you that the drummer is the heart of it all. That's why Iram's departure from Houston is such a huge deal. Not only does he play a powerful and distinct style but if you've ever seen their live shows - he is one of the most memorable performers out there. There may be many great drummers out there but few can upstage the band. Iram performance evokes the playfulness of Han Bennink - a performance that plays with a humor and wide-eyed joy of the instrument. That kind of mugging is so honest and so real that you can't help but be drawn into the music and the performance. Normally, I'd go into the greatness of Wicked Poseur and how good News on the March are but this is really Iram's weekend (though you will have one last chance though at the Houston Press Music Awards). I suggest you demand encores and do not allow him to leave the stage until he has completely collapsed. GO!

ALSO THIS WEEK
(NOTE: TONIGHT I WILL BE ADDING SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. SO CHECK BACK WITH US TOMORROW MORNING FOR THE REST OF THE PREVIEW.)

Friday, July 11

Deceased/PLF/Hypo-Christians/Termination Force
@ Jet Lounge (8:30, $10)
It's funny that the two shows that I rank highest on the must see list tonight come from opposite ends of the spectrum. While Papermoons work with understatement and subtlety this show is the polar opposite - a Yin Yang that shows why John Lomax (whom I love - honestly, he really is a great guy and all but he) is so full of shit when he keeps whacking-off on his self-fulfilling prophecy of how lame the local scene is; I say it therefore it is true so take that, hipsters! Whatever! John, mon ami, here is my prescription - here is what you need. Get the fuck away from that bleeding desk and go to the Jet Lounge tonight. That's right, don't just talk about the scene sucking, actually go a show that will envelop you in sweat and noise from a genre you by and large pretend doesn't exist. Here are three bands completely off your radar: PLF's brutal and precise instrumentation is crushing, Hypo-Christians inject some much appreciated humor into the proceedings, and Termination Force are simply apes!

Oh yeah, and a touring band is playing here too. You know one of those that never come to Houston. Which brings up what you don't get and I think Rosa Guerrero has figured out. You see, you keep jacking off on how the national scene doesn't come to us. Here is the scene she points to - Gulf Coast Hardcore. Her point is simple and you being so much into rap should have fucking figured it out by now. The answer doesn't lie in measuring a scene by how the nationals react but in a fierce regionalism. Dirty South and Gulf Coast Hard Core - that's the freaking model. Let the rest of the world catch up! You think anyone gives a flying fuck about the Arctic Monkeys now? No, but that's what you were creaming over a few years back. You measure of success is based on popularity and sales and not the music. Fuck that! You can keep those bands like Arctic Monkeys and Vampire Weekend - their rise is only matched by how quickly their spotlight fades. PLF will make those sissy Brits you loved so much cry all the way back to the UK but have you ever give them praise? No, fuck no! Why? Because you (and I say again you are a cool guy and I love you to death) are always looking elsewhere to what's cool and interesting and you have this thing about "hipsters" which as the guitarist in my band once put it so precisely "Oh, Hipsters? Yeah, I know those - you mean Kids!" Amen! And the Kids are Alright!

Bob Log III / Scott Biram / Possessed By Paul James
@ Rudyard's
Oh wow check it out a cool touring show! You know, the kind that never come to Houston? He's a one man band who's performance is...well...just look at the picture!!! It's sounds like umm... OK, imagine The Medicine Show as one guy playing with a huge helmet. I've heard his shows get nutters and are a huge amount of fun! The music is surely a hoot. Give a little listen over on the myspace and see for yourself. This show is also a must-see if you can get your Tardis to actually work for once.

In the Land of Archers
@ Notsuoh
Attention fans of Experimental [you know, that genre so utterly and completely misunderstood by the Houston Press even though Houston has long been regarded as fertile soil]!! Here is where you should be tonight!

Floyd's Birthday Bash, featuring
30footFALL, Morgue City, The Blind Pets, Ne Plus Ultra, & Burn The Boats
@ The Meridian
1-2-1-2-1-2! Poppy punk Fuck You We're From Texas granddaddies 30 Foot Fall lead the festivities at the Meridian.

Dine Alone (CD release), The Burning Ground (CD release, Four Men Walking, Feeding James
@ Fitzgerald's
Buzz radio is not my thing - not in the least. I simply abhor the genre, how it's marketed, how it's produced, and well...you get the idea but I figure a CD release is a CD release and it deserves a mention. So if you can stand the Buzz and want to see a local band do that kind of thing, have at it!

Saturday, July 12

The McKenzies/Audio in the Pregap/Ledaswan
@ The Mink
The Mckenzies have a Korg and they are not afraid to use it!! If the Dimes left you jonesin' for some more indie-pop then the McKenzies may be just the fix you need for the rest of the evening.

"I Love You From the Neck Up" Art Opening
with work by Lance McMahan, Jim Pirtle, & others
with Free Radicals, The Brute Wolf, & Palit
@ Notsuoh
Well I'll be damned if I can find much info on this but it does have Free Radicals and that is pretty cool if you like your improv-jazz funky.

Yuppie Pricks / Young Heart Attack
@ Rudyard's
Yuppie pricks are shtick-rock that asks the question "How would a bunch of annoying spoiled rich wanks sound if they decided to make music?" Oh yeah that's right - Vampire Weekend. OK OK forget that explanation. Basically picture tongue-in-cheek punk rock that sing songs like "Fuck You I'm Rich"- that's much funnier and fun than those over-hyped tools that nobody will remember by next year's SXSW.

Earth, Wind & Fire
@ Verizon Wireless Theater
Yeah yeah you've heard the songs a million times but c'mon at least fess up - September is one of those happy happy joy joy songs that few can resist.


Sunday, July 13

Alkari / Ellypsea / Via Linda / The Gold Sounds / Thea
@ Warehouse Live
Woo Hoo! Deer Park's Gold Sounds! These guys are amazing and rip some sweet songs. Nuff said! Swing on down and see what the kids down south on I-45 are doing right!


Monday, July 14

The Cheat / Guitars
@ Boondocks
Q. What do you get when you take one part Alarma (bad-ass bassist April) and one part Lennie Briscoe (bad-ass drummer JD)? A. A hella lotta of posts on Hands Up Houston! I kid of course, they both rock and what you'd really get is a band called Guitars. Should be fun.


Tuesday, July 15

Sleepercar / Buxton / Giant Princess
@ The Mink
Well shit! It's about time Buxton returned to a Houston stage!! These guys are simply incredible live performers and their debut album was simply a wonder of heartfelt Americana. Joseph Collins alone was a song that I just just kept listening to over and over again all the while picking apart the arrangement, structure, production, lyrics, and just about anything else. The rest of the album also is just as worthy of being obsessed over with its sweet melodies a broad palate of instrumentation. Live, the band may not have the lush qualities of the album but they make up for it with a hard driving and emotional performance that will grab you by the collar and drag you in. Sergio Trevino's vocals may catch your attention but pay attention to Guitarist Jason Willis' droll guitar work and you will walk away envious.


Wednesday, July 16

The Warlocks / The Vandelles / The Monocles
@ Walter's on Washington
Psychedelic rock from LA and MONOCLES!! MONOCLES!! MONOCLES!!


Thursday, July 17

Recession Thursdays, featuring
Riff Tiffs, Lisa's Sons, Pale, The Takes, & Ceeplus Bad Knives
@ Numbers
YUP Another Omar Afra extravaganza!!! More deets on Thursday!